For many years the Appalachian Mountain Club has been offering Family Adventure Camps. More recently our family offerings have morphed and grown into Family Adventure Weekends, Family Adventure Hut-to-Hut, Family Adventure Rock Hike and Rapids, and also our extremely popular Wee Wanderers for families with younger children.

Our classic, 5 night, 5 day Family Adventure Camp is still my favorite. I enjoy spending the week with families and really getting to know everyone. Last summer one of our families consisted of Dad David, and his two daughters Nina and Jordan. In talking with Nina about our Nature Notes blog she revealed she enjoyed writing. I asked if she would be willing to be a "Guest Blogger" and write about her experience during Family Adventure Camp. Below is Nina's blog.

"The previous week was the AMC family camp at Pinkham Notch.
It’s crazy to think how fast the week flew by, and crazier still to think about
all that we did. The hikes became progressively more difficult throughout the
week- first the easier Square Ledge and Lost Pond, then up to the summit of
Mount Washington from the Alpine Zone (either by way of the Alpine Garden or
the Nelson Crag Trail), and finally to Carter Notch Hut and back. Amidst that,
there was a day spent paddling a ten mile stretch of the Androscoggin River.
Least exhaustingly, all though not less importantly, we as a group got the
chance to get to know each other, play games, talk (often over large quantities
of delicious food), and hike together this week. We made great memories, and
this has been nothing short of an amazing week.

I learned a lot this week. I learned about flowers, trees,
and plants, adding to my ever-useful and ever-growing repertoire. I learned
about the beauty of the White Mountains, and about seeing it through my own
eyes and through a lens. I learned how much it took to hike to Carter Notch, to
paddle the Androscoggin, to climb most of the way across a rock field called
the Ramparts; and I learned that I had enough in me to do it all. And I learned
about AMC guides, volunteers, trail crew, and hut croo, as well as what made
each different, important, and worthwhile.

I’m Nina, and I was lucky enough to participate in the
spectacular family camp at Pinkham Notch and to be asked to write a guest blog.
Thank you so much- to our wonderful guides;
to the AMC, for hosting such wonderful camps; and to the skies and mountains,
for being extraordinarily kind this week. I had so much fun!"